Osteospermum plant named ‘Vanilla Cream’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant named ‘Vanilla Cream’, characterized by its compact, mounding and outwardly spreading growth habit; dark green leaves; freely branching habit; ivory-colored ray florets; numerous inflorescences per lateral stem; long flowering period; and relative tolerance to high temperatures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osterspermum ecklonis, andreferred to by the cultivar name Vanilla Cream.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Emerald, Victoria, Australia. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new compact Osteospermum cultivars withlarge inflorescences and tolerance to high temperatures.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor of aproprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code numberivory 41 as the female, or seed, parent and a proprietary selection ofOsteospermum ecklonis identified as code number ivory 96, as the male,or pollen, parent. The new Osteospermum was selected by the Inventor asa flowering plant within the progeny of this cross in a controlledenvironment in Emerald, Victoria, Australia in 1994.

Plants of the new cultivar are different from plants of the femaleparent, the selection ivory 41 in plant habit and inflorescence size.Plants of the new Osteospermum are less trailing and have more roundedray florets than plants of the male parent, the selection ivory 96.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings at Emerald,Victoria, Australia, has shown that the unique features of this newOsteospermum are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMERY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Vanilla Cream’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Vanilla Cream’ as a new and distinctcultivar:

1. Compact, mounding and outwardly spreading growth habit.

2. Dark green leaves.

3. Freely branching habit.

4. Ivory-colored ray florets.

5. Numerous inflorescences per lateral stem.

6. Long flowering period.

7. Relatively tolerant to high temperatures.

The new cultivar can be compared to the Osteospermum cultivar CreamSymphony, not patented. However in side-by-side comparisons conducted inEmerald, Victoria, Australia, plants of the new cultivar are moreoutwardly spreading, are larger and stronger, have ray florets withyellow-striped lower surfaces and have more florets per inflorescencethan plants of the cultivar Cream Symphony.

The cultivar Vanilla Cream has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Osteospermum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Vanilla Cream’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of aninflorescence bud, lower surface of typical ray florets, typicalinflorescence and upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves of ‘VanillaCream’. The age and the environmental conditions of the plant depictedin the photograph are the same as those described in the DetailedBotanical Description.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe 20-cmcontainers with three 10 week old plants of the new cultivar grown inBonsall, Calif., under outdoor, full-sun conditions with drytemperatures ranging from 21 to 35° C. and night temperatures rangingfrom 13 to 18° C.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance areused.

Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Vanilla Cream.

Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonisidentified as code number ivory 41.

Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonisidentified as code number ivory 96.

Propagation:

Type.—By terminal cuttings and by tissue culture.

Time to initiate roots.—About 12 to 18 days at 22° C.

Rooting habit.—Fibrous, thick and fleshy.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Perennial herbaceous container and garden plant. Very broadinverted triangle. Compact, mounding and outwardly spreading growthhabit; somewhat open plant habit. Dark green foliage. Inflorescencesheld above and beyond the foliage on moderately strong peduncles. Freelybranching with about 10 lateal branches; removal of terminal apices(pinching) will enhance branching.

Crop time.—About 8 to 10 weeks are required to produce a finished,flowering plant in a 10-cm container.

Vigor.—Moderately vigorous.

Plant height.—About 28 cm.

Plant spread.—About 39 cm.

Lateral branch description.—Length: About 19 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.Internode length: About 1.2 cm. Texture: Glabrous; stems thick andsomewhat succulent. Color: 144B.

Foliage description.—Leaves alternate, single. Quantity of leaves perlateral branch: About 22. Length, fully expanded leaves, basal: About6.8 cm. Width, fully expanded leaves, basal: About 3 cm. Shape.Elliptic. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate, sessile. Margin: Entirewith irregularly-spaced teeth. Aspect: undulate; twisted. Texture:Leathery and tough; smooth, glabrous; thick cuticle. Color: Youngfoliage, upper surface: 147A. Young foliage, lower surface: 147B. Fullyexpanded foliage, upper surface: 137A. Fully expanded foliage, lowersurface: 137B. Attenuated leaf base: 144A to 144B. Venation, uppersurface: 137A. Venation, under surface: 137B.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance/longevity.—Daisy-type composite inflorescence form.Inflorescences displayed above and beyond foliage on moderately strongpeduncles arising from leaf axils. Disc and ray florets arrangedacropetally on a capitulum. Typically about five buds and openedinflorescences per lateral stem. Inflorescences last about one week onthe plant. New inflorescences bypass older inflorescences.Inflorescences persistent.

Flowering response.—Plants flower continuously from April to October inthe Northern Hemisphere.

Fragrance.—None detected.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.5 cm. Depth (height): About 1.5cm. Diameter of disc: About 1.2 cm.

Inflorescence buds.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape:Pointed ovoid. Color: 1B.

Ray florets.—Quantity of ray florets per inflorescence: About 24 in asingle whorl. Length: About 3.3 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Ligulate.Apex: Broadly acute; minute tri-dentate. Base: Attenuate; acute. Margin:Entire. Aspect: Slightly tilted upright to horizontal. Texture: Smooth,satiny. Color: When opening, upper surface: 155A. When opening, lowersurface: Longitudinal stripes, 6D. Fully opened, upper surface: 155A to155C. Fully opened, under surface: Longitudinal stripes, 6D.

Disc florets.—Quantity of disc florets per inflorescence: Numerous,about 120. Shape: Tubular; five-lobed, fluted at apex. Length: About 8mm. Width: About 2 mm. Color: Immature: 156A to 156B. Mature: 157B.

Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence and arrangement: About 26 perinflorescence; double whorl, fused at base. Length: About 1 cm. Shape:Narrowly ligulate. Apex: Sharply acute. Margin: Entire; edges,membranous. Texture: Smooth. Color: Upper surface: 137C. Lower surface:137A.

Peduncle.—Length: First peduncle: About 9 cm. Fourth peduncle: About 8cm. Aspect: Moderately strong, inflorescences held erect to about 40 to45° to the vertical axis of the plant above and beyond the foliage.Texture: Slightly coarse. Color: 143A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Stamens:Five, fused. Anther shape: Elongated. Anther size: About 3 mm. Anthercolor: 161A. Pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: 12A. Gynoecium: Present onray and disc florets. Pistils: One per floret. Pistil Length: About 7mm. Stigma shape: Bipartite. Stigma color: 155A. Style length: About 5mm. Style color: 155A. Ovary color: 149C.

Seed.—Seed production has not been observed to date.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Osteospermum hasnot been observed on plants of the new Osteospermum.

High temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have beenobserved to be relatively tolerant to high temperatures.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plantnamed ‘Vanilla Cream’, as illustrated and described.